Nairobi — 51,100 women and girls globally were killed by intimate partners or other family members in 2023, according to a new report by the United Nations.
This marks an increase from 48,800 such deaths recorded in 2022, though the report cautions that the rise reflects improved data availability rather than a genuine surge in cases.
Jointly prepared by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and UN Women, the report highlights that 60% of the 85,000 women and girls intentionally killed last year were victims of intimate partner or family-related femicide.
“On average, 140 women and girls worldwide lost their lives daily at the hands of a partner or close relative,” the report underscores, emphasizing that no region is immune to this “extreme” form of gender-based violence.
Africa recorded the highest number of victims, with 21,700 women and girls killed by family members in 2023. The continent also reported the highest rate relative to population size, at 2.9 victims per 100,000 people.
The Americas and Oceania followed with rates of 1.6 and 1.5 per 100,000 people, respectively, while Asia and Europe had significantly lower rates of 0.8 and 0.6 per 100,000 people.
The report stresses that intimate partners or family members are responsible for the majority of killings of women and girls worldwide, making the home “the most dangerous place for women and girls in terms of the risk of lethal victimization.”
Despite accounting for 80% of all homicide victims globally, men are predominantly killed outside of domestic settings. Women, on the other hand, are disproportionately affected by lethal violence within the private sphere. Nearly 60% of women intentionally killed in 2023 were victims of intimate partner or family-related homicide, the report notes.
